CLINTON'S ARMY IN TOWN
Clinton's army in town
By Chris Thornton and Martina Purdy
FINAL preparations were being made today for the arrival of the White House in Northern Ireland.
The massive operation to bring President Clinton and scores of aides to Ulster is already well under way - culminating with the arrival on Thursday of his huge travelling party.
An advance party of at least 50 people has been paving the way for the President over the past few weeks - and hundreds more will arrive on the next two days.
The party will feature a large Congressional delegation as well as many of Mr Clinton's most important advisors.
Details of the Omagh leg of the tour were still being worked out today. President Clinton is expected to lay a wreath at the bomb site, together with Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Mr Blair is to fly to Northern Ireland tomorrow evening and will personally greet the President when he disembarks from Air Force One on Thursday morning.
Mr Clinton and Mr Blair and their wives will spend an hour in Omagh Leisure Centre meeting with the bereaved and injured.
They will then lay a wreath in High Street. Mr Clinton is expected to unveil at plaque at the bomb scene.
Among the influential delegation accompanying the President will be Jean Kennedy-Smith, US ambassador to Dublin, former talks chairman, and ambassador Nancy Soderberg, representative of special political affairs to the United Nations.
Notably, one of the players in the Lewinsky case, Bettie Currie, Mr Clinton's secretary who had to testify to the Starr inquiry, is part of the delegation.
The First Lady's chief of staff Melanne Verveer, and trip director Whitney Williams are also among the entourage.
Some of Mr Clinton's key personnel - including ambassadors, senators, national security people and around 200 journalists - are preparing for the visit to Belfast.
"It's the size of a small army," said Belfast journalist Trevor Birney, who co-authored a book on the President's last visit to Northern Ireland.
"It is basically a like a military operation and it's been done so many times, especially with this President, that nothing is left to chance.
"I think some people here don't realise the size of the operation on the day and that's what concerned the Americans about going to Omagh - bringing so many people to the town after the bombing.
"What the Americans say is that whenever the President travels, the White House travels with him," said,Trevor, co-author of ' When The President Calls", a book about his 1995 visit to Northern Ireland.
"Wherever he is that day, that effectively becomes the White House.
"Everything is set up to operate like the White House - if you ring a particular phone number for the White House, it will be answered in Belfast."
Up to 900 people accompanied the President when he made his historic visit to Belfast in 1995.
By Chris Thornton and Martina Purdy
FINAL preparations were being made today for the arrival of the White House in Northern Ireland.
The massive operation to bring President Clinton and scores of aides to Ulster is already well under way - culminating with the arrival on Thursday of his huge travelling party.
An advance party of at least 50 people has been paving the way for the President over the past few weeks - and hundreds more will arrive on the next two days.
The party will feature a large Congressional delegation as well as many of Mr Clinton's most important advisors.
Details of the Omagh leg of the tour were still being worked out today. President Clinton is expected to lay a wreath at the bomb site, together with Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Mr Blair is to fly to Northern Ireland tomorrow evening and will personally greet the President when he disembarks from Air Force One on Thursday morning.
Mr Clinton and Mr Blair and their wives will spend an hour in Omagh Leisure Centre meeting with the bereaved and injured.
They will then lay a wreath in High Street. Mr Clinton is expected to unveil at plaque at the bomb scene.
Among the influential delegation accompanying the President will be Jean Kennedy-Smith, US ambassador to Dublin, former talks chairman, and ambassador Nancy Soderberg, representative of special political affairs to the United Nations.
Notably, one of the players in the Lewinsky case, Bettie Currie, Mr Clinton's secretary who had to testify to the Starr inquiry, is part of the delegation.
The First Lady's chief of staff Melanne Verveer, and trip director Whitney Williams are also among the entourage.
Some of Mr Clinton's key personnel - including ambassadors, senators, national security people and around 200 journalists - are preparing for the visit to Belfast.
"It's the size of a small army," said Belfast journalist Trevor Birney, who co-authored a book on the President's last visit to Northern Ireland.
"It is basically a like a military operation and it's been done so many times, especially with this President, that nothing is left to chance.
"I think some people here don't realise the size of the operation on the day and that's what concerned the Americans about going to Omagh - bringing so many people to the town after the bombing.
"What the Americans say is that whenever the President travels, the White House travels with him," said,Trevor, co-author of ' When The President Calls", a book about his 1995 visit to Northern Ireland.
"Wherever he is that day, that effectively becomes the White House.
"Everything is set up to operate like the White House - if you ring a particular phone number for the White House, it will be answered in Belfast."
Up to 900 people accompanied the President when he made his historic visit to Belfast in 1995.
Further Information
Publisher: BELFAST TELEGRAPH
Ref: BT/0331
Published Date: 01-Sep-98
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